The present invention relates generally to a refastenable absorbent garment, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for assembling refastenable absorbent garments.
Absorbent garments can be configured in many different forms. For example, absorbent garments can be configured as a pant-type, pull-on garment, or as a diaper-type product that is drawn up between the legs and fastened about the waist with various fastening systems. Pant-type, pull-on garments are often provided with various elastic elements that can conform to the body of the user and provide a comfortable, snug fit. Often, pant-type garments have a front and rear body panel that are attached along the side edges thereof to form one or more side seams. Such garments, however, often do not have a refastenable mechanism that allows the garment to be easily removed after use or to be adjusted during use.
On the other hand, diaper-type products, which can be configured with fastening systems that allow the user to detach and reattach various fasteners so as to provide a refastenable absorbent garment, often are not configured with various elastic elements, for example around the waist, and may not conform well to the body of the user and/or may provide a bulky appearance beneath the user""s garments. Therefore, there remains a need for an improved absorbent garment that is refastenable and provides a snug fit with a non-bulky appearance.
In addition, manufacturing facilities are often configured to fabricate one particular type of product. As such, these facilities may not provide the flexibility to transition between fabricating a pull-on type garment and fabricating a refastenable type garment using a single manufacturing line or asset. Therefore the need also remains for improved methods and assemblies for manufacturing refastenable absorbent garments.
Briefly stated, in one aspect, the invention is directed to a method for assembling a refastenable absorbent garment. The method comprises moving a continuous absorbent garment subassembly in a machine direction, wherein the continuous absorbent garment subassembly comprises a continuous front body panel web, a continuous rear body panel web and a plurality of discrete crotch portions spaced along the machine direction and extending between the continuous front and rear body panel webs. The crotch portions are folded in a cross direction with one of the continuous front and rear body panel webs facing the other of the continuous front and rear body panel webs. The method further comprises successively cutting the continuous front and rear body panels of the continuous absorbent garment subassembly in the cross direction and thereby forming a plurality of discrete absorbent garment subassemblies, each of which comprises a front body panel and a rear body panel, wherein the front and rear body panels are connected with the crotch portion. Each of the front and rear body panels have opposite side edges, wherein the side edges form the leading and trailing edges of the discrete absorbent garment subassemblies in the machine direction. The method further includes successively rotating each of the discrete absorbent garment subassemblies such that the side edges are spaced apart in the cross direction. The method further comprises attaching a fastener member to at least one of the front and rear body panels on each of the discrete absorbent garment subassemblies.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a bodyside surface of each of the front and rear body panels are in contact, and the method further comprises separating the front and rear body panels prior to attaching the fastener member to at least one of the front and rear body panels.
In yet another preferred embodiment, each of the front and rear body panel webs comprise a plurality of elastic elements applied thereto along the machine direction.
In another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for fabricating a refastenable absorbent garment includes a product rotator adapted to rotate the absorbent garment from a cross direction to a machine direction, at least one vacuum conveyor positioned downstream of the product rotator and adapted to separate the front and rear body panels, and a fastener applicator positioned downstream of the at least one vacuum conveyor and adapted to apply a fastener member to at least one of the front and rear body panels.
The present invention provides significant advantages over other absorbent garments and methods and apparatus for the manufacture thereof. For example, by making the absorbent garment refastenable, it can be applied without needing to pull the garment on or off like a pant-like garment. In addition, the garment can be made bigger or smaller simply by adjusting the positioning of the fasteners. Moreover, in one particular application, wherein the garment is used by adults, for example with occasional incontinence problems, the fastening system may be disengaged and engaged repeatedly by the user while the garment remains unsoiled over an extended period of time.
In one preferred embodiment, the absorbent garment includes elastic elements extending along the waist region. The elastic elements provide a snug, comfortable fit that does not create a bulky appearance beneath the user""s outer garments. The combination of refastenable fasteners and elastic elements further enhances the fit and appearance of the garment.
At the same time, the manufacturer can easily switch between the manufacture of a non-refastenable, pant-type product and a refastenable product simply by omitting the step of forming one or more side seams and, instead, by introducing the fastener applicator, and a bonder if desired. Conversely, the fastener applicator can be omitted and the side sealer activated. In this way, the machinery and equipment used to fabricate the body panels and crotch portion can be integrated into both processes, thereby maximizing the use of the assets and reducing the costs and space needed for the manufacturing facility.
The present invention, together with further objects and advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.